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The Australian decisive move to ban social media access for individuals under sixteen is sparking debate worldwide. Politicians, child protection groups, and parents are monitoring intently to see if this approach will become a template for other nations.

Across Europe Trend

Throughout Europe, a growing chorus of nations are considering similar bans.

• Denmark plans a restriction on social media for youth below 15, with the PM arguing that phones and networks are "robbing our youngsters' innocence". The policy is expected to be formalized next year.
• The Norwegian government is planning to implement a minimum age limit of 15, pointing to the need to safeguard children from the "power of the recommendation systems".
• Ireland is working on a digital ID system to confirm the identity and age of social media account holders. Officials have indicated that an Australia-style ban is "one of the measures in reserve".
• In The Spanish government, the prime minister has urged the legislature to pass a law raising the legal age for accessing social media to 16.
• In The French government, the head of state has proposed a ban for under-15s, and a legislative committee has endorsed a related move, alongside an overnight "screen time restriction" for older teenagers.
• The government in The Dutch government has urged guardians to block their youngsters from social media up to the age of 15.

Across the European Union, the European parliament has adopted a symbolic motion calling for a ban for minors except if parental consent is provided. Even though it cautions of the "habit-forming" quality of these services, the step does not establish binding law.

"A clear age restriction is a solid foundation," said one European lawmaker driving the measure.

Britain: A Cautious Stance

For the United Kingdom, the administration has kept open a future ban, arguing that "no option is off the table" but maintaining any action must be "supported by robust research".

Earlier, support gathered behind a legislative effort to enact restrictions on social media use by minors, but it was in the end weakened. Instead, the government committed to investigate the issue.

Advocacy groups have expressed warnings. A prominent charity founded by the loved ones of a young person who took her own life after viewing disturbing online content suggests that a blanket age ban may not make platforms safer and could create a "sudden drop-off" of exposure when young people reach the legal age.

"Australia's ban is a response to the refusal of the Silicon Valley to create platforms and apps that are secure and suitable for children," commented a prominent online safety campaigner.

The US: A Fragmented Landscape

Stateside, legislation is largely occurring at the local level due to country-wide inaction.

• Utah requires parental consent for under-18s to use social media and controls nighttime use.
• Florida has enacted a measure prohibiting those below 14 from joining social media, though it faces constitutional disputes.
• Virginia has enacted a regulation limiting teenagers to one hour of social media access per day, with any further access dependent on adult consent.
• Georgia, Tennessee, and The state of Louisiana have similarly introduced measures demanding parental consent for minors to create social media accounts.

Even with bipartisan support and calls from some figures to copy the Australian path, a US-wide ban is right now seen as a distant prospect.

Worldwide Views

Beyond these regions, additional nations are also taking action.

• Malaysia aims to prohibit social media for those under sixteen effective next year.
• Brazil has raised the minimum age for the platform Instagram to 16.

But, international organizations adopt a more cautious tone. The UN children's agency has warned that blanket prohibitions have downsides and "may even backfire". The agency highlights that online platforms can be a "lifeline" for marginalized young people and that government action should not be a "excuse" for platform operators to invest in safety.

While this international debate unfolds, the policies of the Australian government and others show that states internationally are less and less content to wait for the industry to act voluntarily.